Combined automatic car and air-brake coupling



v (No Model.) 2 SheetswSheet 1.

J. B. THOMAS. COMBINED AUTMATI'C CAR AND AIR BRAKE GOUPLING.

No. 603,823. Patented May l0, 1898.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. B.ITHOMAS. COMBINED AUTOMATIC GAR AND AIR BRAKE GOUPLING.

No. 808,828. Imm-ed May 10,1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES BRYANT THOMAS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

COMBINED AUTOMATIC C AR AND AIR-BRAKE COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 603,823, dated May 10,1898.

Application led February 6, 1897. Serial No. 622,346. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JAMES BRYANT THOMAS, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a new anduseful Combined Automatic Oar and Air-Brake Coupling, of which thefollowing is a specication.

This invention relates to a combined automatic car and air-brakecoupling.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to effect animprovement in the automatic air-brake coupling head or shoe, wherebythe orifice for the train-pipe Will be arranged in the same side of thecoupling head or shoe as the oriice in the coupling-face of such head orshoe, so that the position of the train-pipe is not changed from theusual position it occupies beneath the car, While at the Sametimepermitting of the disposition of the air-brake coupling head or shoedirectly below the knuckle of the car-coupling head, which is the bestpossible coupling position for the automatic coupling head or shoe.

The invention also contemplates means for effectually excluding dustfrom the automatic air-brake coupling head or shoe when not in use, andby the same means dispensing with the necessity7 of the usual cut-offcock in the train-pipe.

In addition to the objects referred to a very important feature is toprovide the automatic air-brake coupling head or shoe With an interchange coupling connect-ion forming a permanent feature of the head or shoeand providing simple and efficient means for connecting the automaticair-brake couplinghead or shoe of one car With an unlike air-brakecoupling on another car, so that the use of the air-brakes Will not beinterfered with on a train of cars equipped With the automatic air-brakecoupling and also with the ordinary brake-hose couplings. In theattainment of this important object the present invention is in thenature of an improvement on the interchange' couplingfixture such asdisclosed in my allowed application, Serial No. 573,922.

With these and other objects in view, which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in thenovel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinaftermore fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a combined car andair-brake coupling embodying the improvements contemplated by thisinvention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal longitudinal sectional View of a pairof companion air-brake coupling heads or shoes constructed in accordancewith this invention and shown coupled together. Fig. 3 is a similarvievsT of one of the air-brake coupling heads or shoes shown connectedwith an unlike brake-hose coupling. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the innercoupling-face of one of the air-brake coupling heads or shoes. Fig. 5 isan elevation of the outer side of one of the air-brake coupling heads orshoes. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3. Fig.7 is a detaill in perspective of the pivotal dust-shield arm for theorifice in the inner coupling-face of the air-brake coupling head orshoe. Fig. 8 is a similar view of the pivotal dust-cap for the outercoupling head or ring of the interchange couplingnipple.

Referring to the accompanying dravvings, the numeral 1 designates anordinary carcoupling head having the usual guard-arm 2 and knuckle 3 andarranged at the front end of the draw-bar 4.

The present invention con templates for use in connection With thecar-coupling head 1 the automatic air-brake coupling head or shoe 5,arranged below and in vertical alinement with the car-coupling head andWhich is of the same generalv construction and type as the air-brakecoupling-head disclosed in my former patent, No. 481,984, andparticularly in my allowed applications, Serial Nos. 573,922 and598,882.' The said automatic air-brake coupling head or shoe 5 isadapted to automatically couple and uncouple with a companion head orshoe in the usual'way and is formed intermediate its ends With atransverse Huid-passage 6, opening at its inner end into an orificeformed in the inner couplingface of the head or shoe, and Within Whichorifice is tted an ordinary gasket 7, which projects beyond the plane ofthe inner coupling-face of the head or shoe to form an airtight jointwith the gasket of the companion head or shoe in the usual Way.

The air-brake coupling head or shoe 5 is suspended from the draw-bar 4of the carcoupling head 1 by means of a self-adjusting hanging device 7,such as disclosed in my allowed application, Serial No. 573,922, and

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said head or shoe 5 is provided with a front beveled end 8, a recessedYouter side 9, having flared guiding-flanges 10, and at its inner endthe said head or shoe 5 carries a.bowed clamping-spring 11, whichengages with the hanging device 7a in the manner set forth in theallowed application referred to. The bowed clamping-spring 11 at theinner or rear end of the air-brake coupling head or shoe is provided atits front end with the offstanding guide or guard tongue 12, disposedopposite and projecting outwardly from the inner coupling-face of thehead or shoe 5, and the said guide-tongue 12 of the spring is adapted toride in engagement with the recessed fianged outer side 9 of thecompanion head or shoe, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, so asto guide the two air-brake'coupling heads or shoes together and insuretheir tight interlocking connection, as fully described in the priorpatent'and previous applications herein referred to.

The bowed clamping-spring ll at the rear or inner end of the air-brakecoupling head or shoe 5 extends around such end of the head or shoe inthe usual way and has its rear end connected with the outer side of thecoupling head or shoe 5 by means of a movable pressure-adj ustedconnection 13. The movable pressure-adjusted connection 13 for the inneror rear end of the bowed clamping-spring 11 is of the same constructionas the corresponding connection fully set forth in my allowedapplication, Serial No. 598,822, and this connection 13 carries amovable piston portion 14, working in a circular air chamber 15, formedin the outer side of the coupling head or shoe 5 and communicating withone end of a longitudinally-arranged air-port 16, formed within thecoupling head or shoe 5 and also communicating with the transversefluid-passage 6 through the head or shoe.

In connection with the interior passage for air within the coupling heador shoe 5, including the ,port 16 and the passage 6, the said head orshoe has formed inits inner side, near the rear end thereof, atrain-pipe orifice 17, in which is fitted one end of the usualtrain-pipe 18, which train-pipe is designed to occupy its usual positionunder the body of the car and extends through a slot 19, formed in theportion of' the clamping-spring 11 lying opposite the innercoupling-face of the head or shoe. By reason of forming the train-pipeorifice in the same side of the coupling head or shoe as the orifice inthe coupling-face of the head or shoe the usual position of thetrain-pipe is not disturbed, while at the same time the air-brakecoupling head or shoe will be permitted to lie directly under theknuckle 3 of the car-coupling and the guide or guard arm 12 of theclampingspring directlyunder the guard-arm 2 of the car-coupling, whichposition of the parts is essential to insure a proper automatic couplingof the companion air-brake coupling head or shoe.

While the couplinghead or shoe 5 is designed primarily to automaticallycouple with a corresponding or companion head or shoe, yet at times thesaid head or shoe will be opposed to an unlike air-brake coupling20-such, for instance, as the Westinghouse air-brake hosecoupling, whichis fitted to one end of the ordinary brake-hose pipe 21, with which mostof' the railway-cars now in use are equipped. To adapt the automaticair-brake'coupling head or yshoe for use in such an emergency, thetransverse lfluid-passage 6 through the head or shoe has fitted in theorifice, at the outer end thereof, the inner end of' a short offstandinginterchange coupling-nipple 22, which nipple is provided at its outerend with an annular coupling head or ring 23, in the fiat coupling-faceof which is fitted a packing-gasket 24, adapted to register in anairtight joint with the usual gasket of the unlike air-brakehose-coupling 2O when such coupling is connected with the interchangenipple. The coupling head or ring 23 at the outer end of the interchangecoupling-nipple 22 is provided at one side edge with the couplingfianges or lugs 25, adapted to interlock with the unlike air-brakehose-coupling 2O in the usual way, and at a point diametrically oppositethe flanges or lugs 25 the coupling head or ring 23 is provided with apair of offstanding ears 26, between which is pivoted one end of alocking-dog 27, formedintermediate its ends with a catch-hook 28,adapted to engage with a flange or edge of the unlike air-brakehose-coupling 2O in the usual way toprovide for connecting such couplingwith the coupling-head of the nipple 22 in an airtight joint, so thatdirect communication can be established between the brake-hose pipe andthe interior of the air-brake coupling head or shoe.

When the unlike air-brake hose or similar coupling 2O is not connectedwith the interchange coupling-nipple, the orifice in the coupling-head23 of such nipple is covered in an air-tight joint by means of apivotaldustcap 29. The dust-cap 29 is pivoted at one edge to the lowerside edge of the couplinghead 23, so that it will normally hang in apendent position entirely out of the way when the coupling 20 is broughtinto use in connection with the interchange nipple, and said dust-cap 29is provided at one side edge with an offstanding hook 30, adapted to beturned. into engagement with one ofthe flanges or lugs 25, and at apoint diametrically opposite the hook 30 the said plate 29 terchangecoupling-nipple is not in use, the dust-cap 29 remains clamped in itsraised position on the coupling-head 23, and to provide for the totalexclusion of dust from the inte- IOO IOS

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rior of the air-brake coupling head or shoe when not in use adust-shield arm 32 is employed in connection with the orifice of theinner coupling-face of the head or shoe.

The dust-shield arm 32 is provided intermediate its ends and at one sidewith a circular cap projection 33, adapted to fit tight against thegasket 7 in the inner couplingface of the head or shoe, and said arm 32is further provided at one end with a lateral interiorly-threaded stud34, receiving the threaded end of a pivot pin or screw 35,loosely fittedin the vertically-disposed slot 36 of a pivot-plate 37, fastened to theouter side of the coupling head or shoe 5, at the lower edge thereof. Atthe end opposite its pivotal connection a dust-shield arm 32 is providedwith a locking-hook 37, adapted to straddle and engage with the top edgeof the coupling head or shoe.

When it is desired to cover the orifice in the coupling-face of the heador shoe by means of the arm 32, the latter is swung to a substantiallyupright position and elevated sufficiently to allow the hook 37 thereofto drop or be forced into engagement with the top edge of the head orshoe. When the coupling head or shoe 5 is to be used with a companionhead or shoe the arm 32 is lifted upward to disengage its hook 37,thereby permitting the said arm to swing downward to a pendent positionentirely out of the way, as illustrated in Fig. l of the drawings. Whenthe interchange coupling-nipple 22 is in use, the arm 32 closes theorifice in the couplingface of the head or shoe, and when the couplinghead or shoe is not in use both the dustshield arm 32 and the dust-cap29 are secured in their operative positions and not only serve toexclude dust from the interior of the coupling head or shoe, but alsoact as cut-offs, so as to dispense with the necessity of the usualcut-off cock in the train-pipe.

From the foregoing the construction, operation, and many advantages ofthe hereindescribed improvements will be readily apparent to thoseskilled in the art without further description, and it will be furtherunderstood that various changes in the form, proportion, and the minordetails of construction may be resorted to without departing from theprinciple or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to besecured by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a coupling of the class described, an automatic air-brake couplinghead or shoe carrying a clamp formed with a slot therein, said head orshoe being provided with an interior passage communicating withseparated orifices formed in the inner side of the heador shoe, and atrain-pipe fitted in one of the orifices and extended through the slotof said having an interior fluid-passage communicating with separatedcoupling and train-pipe orifices, and a rigid interchange couplingnipplefitted directly to tle head or shoe and having communication with theinterior fluidpassage through an orifice independent of the coupling andtrain-pipe orifices, said coupling-nipple being adapted to interlockwith an unlike air-brake coupling, substantially as set forth.

3. In a coupling of the class described, an automatic air-brake couplinghead or shoe having an interior fluid-passage communicating withseparate coupling and train-pipe orifices, an interchangecoupling-nipple fitted to the head or shoe and communicating with theinterior fluid-passage, said nipple being provided at its outer end witha couplinghead, a dust-cap fitted to said coupling-head, and fasteningmeans for securing the dustcap over the orifice in said coupling-head ofthe nipple, substantially as set forth.

4. In a coupling of the class described, an automatic air-brake couplinghead or shoe having an interior fluid-passage with communicatingorifices, an interchange couplingnipple fitted to the head or shoe andcommunicating with the interior fiuid-passage, said nipple beingprovided at its outer end with a coupling-head formed with couplingflanges or lugs, a dust-capv pivoted to the couplinghead of the nippleand provided at one edge with a hook for engagement with one of saidfianges or lugs, and a hooked locking-dog pivoted to the coupling-headof the nipple and adapted to engage with either said dustcap or anunlike air-brake coupling, substantially as set forth.

5. In a coupling of the class described, an automatic air-brake couplinghead or shoe having a train-pipe connection and formed with a transversehuid-passage terminating in oppositely-located orifices, and dust-guardsarranged to cover said oppositely-located orifices to dispense with acut-off cock for the trainpipe connection, substantially as set forth.

6. In a coupling of the class described, an automatic air-brake couplinghead or shoe having an interior fluid-passage and a coupling-orifice inits inner coupling-face, a pivotal dust-shield arm having avertically-movable pivotal connection at one end with the coupling heador shoe at the lower edge of the latter, said pivotal dust-shield armbeing provided intermediate its ends with a cap projection and at itsfreeend with a lockinghook adapted to engage with the top edge of thecoupling head or shoe, Vsubstantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.4

JAMES BRYANT THOMAS.

Witnesses:

JOHN II. SIGGERs, FRANCES PEYTON SMITH.

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